Vancouver Island - Last break before the final sprint

By now, I was already in the last month of my year-long world trip. After the wonderful days in Kelowna, I made my way to Victoria on Vancouver Island with a short stopover in Vancouver. I wanted to spend ten days there before starting my final sprint through various cities in the USA and Canada (a detailed plan was still not in place at that time) and then flying back from the east coast of the USA. In Victoria, I stayed with friends of my parents who kindly welcomed me into their home. And not only that! They planned a colorful program for the entire ten days to show me their beautiful home.

The crossing from Vancouver to Vancouver Island was impressive! I had booked the complete journey by bus and ferry to Victoria. On the ferry, we were allowed to get off the bus and go up on deck. There, besides a mesmerizing view, we also had a lecture by a marine biologist about the fascinating world that lies beneath the surface of the water. It was a sunny morning and I enjoyed the view of the many small islands, the seals, and last but not least, even a few humpback whales that showed up in one of the bays. In Victoria, I was promptly received by my hosts, we took a tour through the manageable downtown area of Victoria, and then took a detour by car to their home so that I could get a small impression of the city.

The weather was mostly excellent in the following days as well. And so we were able to make various excursions: to the beautifully landscaped gardens of 'Butchart Gardens' and the residence of the Queen's representative, on a sailing boat to one of the bays of Vancouver Island, to various viewpoints on the island, the harbor, and the Chinese cemetery. One day, we went on another hike to Mount Work and enjoyed the beautiful view over the island from the summit. I had heard a lot of good things about Vancouver Island before, but seeing the beautiful nature with its pine forests, rugged rocks, and barren grasses on the coast is something special.

The cultural offerings of Victoria were of course not to be neglected. Luckily, I was in the city during an artist festival, the 32nd 'Art Gallery Paint-in'. Numerous stands were set up on Moss Street where visual artists exhibited their artworks. It was a lively activity and one could casually stroll up and down the street and admire the many creative ideas of the artists. On one of the few rainy days, we visited the Royal BC Museum. Ironically, the changing exhibition was about the life of the Maya. It was funny to see the places that I had visited just a few weeks earlier, thousands of kilometers away, again in pictures in an exhibition. I also paid a visit to the University of Victoria and spent a day mingling with the students. It's always nice to do that!

I enjoyed the time with my acquaintances. It was nice to have an anchor point again before moving on. I was able to do my laundry, cook, and had my own room where I could spread out and sort my things once again. Together, we ate a lot of fish (I think I've never eaten so much (and such good!) fish in such a short time) and drank the wine that I had brought from the mainland. And so, the ten days passed by much too quickly once again, and it was time for me to continue my journey and start the final two weeks of my trip...